Hose-supporter.



PATENTED JAN. 16, 1906.

J. D. O'BRIEN.

HOSE SUPPORTER.

APPLICATION FILED AUG. 2a, 1903.

Wiinesseg: 19111811 101 John 1). OBrz'en.

759M a'ia UNITED STATES JOHN D. OBRIEN, BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS.

HOSE-SUPPORTER- Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. 16, 1906.

Application filed August 28, 1903- Serial No. 171,038.

To fl/ZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN D. OBRIEN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Boston, in the county of Suffolk and State of Massachusetts, have invented an Improvement in Hose-Supporters, of which the following description, in connection with the accompanying drawings, is a specification, like characters on the drawings representing like parts.

This invention relates to hose-supporters, particularly to womens hose-supporters. It is now common in the making of hose-supporters of this class to employ a single elastic strip of more or less ornamental appearance extending from the point of support to the bifurcated or divided ends, each of the latter being fitted with a loop and stud or equivalent fastening device for attachment to the stocking. This construction furnishes two elastic members to bear the stress or pull from the stocking to the point where the bifurcated or divided ends join the single member and but a single elastic member from that point to the point of support, and it has been found in practice that the single member gives way or breaks long before the bifurcated or divided ends, this being particularly true in the class of hose-supporters known as the abdominal type, wherein both supporters are attached in front to a single member belted about the waist.

My invention aims to improve hose-supporters of this class by providing an inelastic member parallel with and adjacent to the single elastic member extending from the point of support to the bifurcated or divided ends and which, while preserving the ornamental effect or appearance of the said single member heretofore employed, furnishes in connection therewith or in place thereof a permanent and adequate/support which will wear the life of the bifurcated or divided elastic ends.

To enable my invention to be understood, I will first describe the same in connection with one embodiment thereof illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

Referring to the drawings, Figure 1 is a front view of a hose-supporter, illustrating my invention; Fig. 2, a right-hand edge view of a part of Fig. 1, and Fig. 3 a vertical longitudinal section through one of the hose-supporting members.

In the particular embodiment of my invention selected for illustration herein and shown in the drawings, a is what is commonly called a military pad, the same being provided at one side with a strap b, adapted to be passed around the waist and buckled or otherwise secured at its opposite end to the other side of said pad. To the bottom of this pad there are secured by stitches or other permanent means or, as herein shown, by means of the safety-pins c c the upper ends of two elastic strips (1 d, preferably of ornamental elastic fabric presenting, for example, ornamental shirred or plaited edges (1, said strips or members being respectively prolonged to constitute each one of a pair of divided or separated ends (Z the other ends (1 of the said pairs being permanently stitched or otherwise secured thereto at the point of division thereof. Each of the divided or separated ends (1 d is fitted with a suitable hose-supporting device or fastener e for at tachment to the stocking, all the said members d, (1 and (I being preferablyof elastic fabric to contribute each its share to the resulting supporting effect of the supporter as a whole.

In accordance with the prevailing custom the points from which they diverge, a convenient mode of attachment being, as best shown in Fig. 3, to pass a barf of the adjusting device or buckle between the two members d (1 which latter are stitched together above and below the said bar. At its upper edge the said adjusting device f is provided with a usual movable clamping device f, which may be raised, as in Fig. 3, to release the strand or strands of the supporter passed between it and the face of the device and which when turned into its dotted position firmly clamps the said strand or strands and holds the latter in adjusted position.

By raising the adjusting member the single elastic member (1 may be drawn through in the form of the loop 5 to shorten the supporter, the adjusting member being thereafter turned into its dotted position to preserve the adjustment.

As thus far described, the hose-supporter (1, d (Z and f is substantially as at present on the market, and it will be clear that, assuming all the said members (1 d d to be of elastic fabric, the single memberd is required to bear singly the load, which is divided between the divided or separated ends d or (Z Conse quently the said single member (I breaks or ruptures much more quickly than either of the two ends d (F. Particularly is this true under the high-tension adjustment common with hose-supporters of the type illustrated in Fig. 1. In accordance with my invention I provide adjacent and preferably behind each single elastic member (1 a supplemental supporting member h, of inelastic material, or, if of material possessing any degree of elasticity, one which shall with certainty provide the required and permanent supporting quality to wear as long as the divided or separated elastic ends (Z (i I prefer, however, to use an inelastic supplemental member h. This supplementary member is suitably attached to the upper end of the member (I, as in Fig. 3, or otherwise to the military pad a or supporting device or member and is carried downwardly to the adjusting device f, by which it may be engaged in suitable manner. If the lower end of this supplemental member h is permanently and fixedly engaged with the adjusting device f or with the converging ends of the members (1 (P, then it serves as an inextensible limiting member which will not break and which fixedly limits the degree of extension or stretch of the single member d, and any adjustment of the latter would cause a loop in said supplemental member, which is not necessarily objectionable, since it would nevertheless provide that permanence of character necessary in devices of this sort. I prefer, however, to leave the lower end of said supplemental member h loose and to return it through the adjusting device f, to be engaged thereby simultaneously with the-engagement thereby of the elastic member (1. When so arranged, as indicated in Fig. 3, whenever the member (1 is looped, as at 5,and shortened, the free lower end of the supplemental member k may be drawn upwardly through the adjusting device until the slack is taken up, when :both members d and it may be clamped by a single movement of the adjusting member f and in any position of adj ustment the inner face of the adjusting device f next the clothing of the wearer is protected and covered by the supplemental member It. It will be clear, therefore, that with the lower end of the supplemental member fixedly attached to the adjustin device to leave the slack or with the said slack produced by adjustment when the end of said member is free, as in Fig. 3, the supporter provides, as heretofore, all the elasticity contributed by the members (i, (Z and d with the supplemental member to limit the elasticity of the member cl within safe bounds and to prevent absolutely any breakage thereof. On the other hand, if the supplemental member be so adjusted as to stand normally taut, as indicated in dotted lines, Fig. 2, then the member d is prevented from stretching, the resiliency being derived wholly from the separated end members d (1 In any case and however connected up or adjusted my invention provides for the relief of the main supporting member under extraordinary strain, while at the same time constant elasticity of the supporter is preserved by the elastic ends (Z and d and permits of the use of a single ornamental effect from the extreme top of the supporter to the lower end of the divided or separated ends thereof, as heretofore, with the supplemental supporting member concealed from view. While this effect is desirable, it is not essential to my invention, which comprehends the use of the supplemental member whatever may be the nature or ornamental effect of the cooperating member (Z.

The supporter described may be used singly at the side or in pairs at the front, as shown in Fig. 1, in which case they maybe attached to the pad by safety-pins, such as would be used at the side, or may be otherwise permanently attached to said pad or otherwise supported, as desired.

My invention is not limited to the particular embodiment thereof herein shown by way of illustration, for obviously it may be varied within the scope and spirit of the invention.

I claim 1. A hose-supporter comprising an elastic member, a supplemental supporting member to limit the extension thereof and a second elastic member to preserve constant elasticity of said supporter.

2. A hose-supporter comprising an elastic member, a supplemental supporting member to limit the extension thereof, a plurality of elastic ends to preserve constant elasticity of the supporter and means to adjust said supporter between its extreme ends.

3. A hose-supporter comprising an elastic member, a supplemental supporting member to limit the extension thereof, a plurality of elastic ends to preserve constant elasticity of the supporter, and means to adjust said elastic member.

4. A hose-supporter comprising an elastic member, a supplemental supporting member to limit the extension thereof, a plurality of elastic ends to preserve constant elasticity of the supporter, and means to adjust said elastic supporting members.

5. A hose-supporter comprising a waistsupported belt and a plurality of supporters attached to the front thereof, each comprising an elastic member having a plurality of constantly elastic supporting ends, and a supplemental supporting member with adjusting means for the purpose described.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

JOHN D. OBRIEN.

Witnesses:

FREDERICK L. EMERY, SUsAN E. HAYNES. 

